“No reason to be negative”: Maresca plays down Chelsea pressure ahead of Benfica clash

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has called for calm and positivity as his side prepare for a must-win Champions League clash against Benfica at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

The Blues are hoping to get off the mark in Europe’s premier tournament after suffering a crushing 3-1 defeat against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich last time out.

The Blues have wobbled over the past couple of weeks, winning just one of their last five games across all competitions (D1, L3) – a run that started with a frustrating 2-2 draw against Brentford.

They then lost to Bayern before suffering back-to-back Premier League defeats against Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion on either side of an uninspiring display against Lincoln City in the EFL Cup.

That run of results has left the Chelsea faithful frustrated, with many already calling for a change in the dugout.

However, the Italian head coach has dismissed any suggestion that he is under pressure.

“In this moment, we need to be positive,” Maresca said during his pre-match press conference. “First of all, because it is what the players need. Secondly, because there is no reason to be negative.”

Maresca, who reportedly has the full backing of the club hierarchy, then pointed to Chelsea’s disciplinary issues as a key reason for their recent dip in form rather than his tactical set-up.

However, he admitted that the current slump cannot carry on for much longer.

“This morning, the club showed me that in the last six months we lost five games, four of them with red cards,” he added.

“The reality is that there is not any pressure. The pressure we have is what we know – being at Chelsea as a manager, you have to win games, no doubt.”

The upcoming showdown against Benfica comes with an emotional subplot, as Chelsea legend Jose Mourinho returns to the Bridge for the first time as Benfica manager.

Despite the narrative, Maresca insisted that he is focused on making sure his team can bounce back from last weekend’s disappointing defeat against Brighton.